Cancer Control Dissemination Research among State-Level Policymakers: Insight into how legislators gather and use information

As part of a larger study, Cancer Control Dissemination Research among State-level Policymakers,  the Prevention Research Center in St. Louis conducted telephone interviews with 25 state policymakers about priority health issues in their respective states and sought to learn how legislators get information that ultimately informs their decisions on state-level policies.

Where do state legislators turn for their most trusted source of information?

Through the interviews, we learned that legislators gather information from a wide range of sources and just like everybody else, will sometimes kick-start the research process with a quick Google search.  Many legislators use their extensive networks and call upon experts in health to learn more about issues that come before the legislature. Physicians were commonly cited as sources of trusted information on health issues, as well as state health departments, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration, the National Conference for State Legislatures, universities, and hospitals.

Legislators view universities as reliable and trustworthy sources for health related information, however face challenges in knowing which universities to turn to for relevant evidence.   Unlike government agencies, such as the CDC or state health departments, there is no centralized system documenting the types of research universities are working on at any given time.  One legislator said, knowing which university to contact for specific information on a health issue is like “looking for a needle in a haystack.”  Navigating the vast network of universities currently conducting health-related research can be a daunting and time-consuming process.  Finding information from government sources tends to be easier because the information is centralized and publically available, making these agencies popular sources of information for state legislators.

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What can universities do to improve the dissemination of health information?

Many legislators expressed a need to improve and create stronger lines of communication between universities and state-level policymakers.  Several legislators mentioned the need for creating a centralized system with information about current university research projects for legislators to access. A centralized database would facilitate the dissemination of current research and inform policy decisions.  Legislators could use the system to look for information on specific health issues and find relevant research from public and private universities.

The exchange of information within the legislature is primarily verbal, which makes oral communication a preferred format for disseminating information to many policymakers.   One legislator said, “in some cases, legislators in particular much favor oral communications...they tend to absorb information better in verbal interchange because that’s the mode in which they exchange information in the legislature.” Many legislators echoed this notion and expressed interest in hearing presentations from university representatives on relevant research projects during committee hearings.   In addition to receiving scientific information to from researchers, one legislator wanted to see a “health policy division at a university that [is] wholly dedicated and consistently tracking health care trends and needs in our state.”  This type of information will help policymakers accurately address the health needs of their constituents and plan accordingly for future needs within their states.

Are there any dissemination models between universities and policymakers that are working well?

In one state, a policy center was established to create a stronger link between the academic world and policymakers.   Twice a year, the policy center gathers to discuss evidence-based research and how it can be utilized and applied at the policy level.  The center publishes and distributes a biannual magazine for legislators, city managers, and county officials and aims to convert academic work into something that can be easily consumed by a policymaker or official. 

What’s next? 

Findings from these interviews are being analyzed and will be submitted for publication in a journal as well as shared with the interview participants.

Related Readings on this Topic:

1.       www.familyimpactseminars.org

2.       Friese B, Bogenschneider K. The Voice of Experience: How Social Scientists Communicate Family Research to Policymakers. Fam Relat. 2009; 58(2):229-243.

3.       Bogenschneider K, Corbettt TJ. Evidence-Based Policymaking: Insights from Policy-Minded Researchers and Reseach-Minded Policymakers. New York, NY: Taylor and Francis Group, LLC; 2010.

4.       Brownson RC, Royer C, Ewing R, McBride TD. Researchers and Policymakers: Travelers in Parallel Universes. Am J Prev Med. 2006;30(2):164-172.